At the moment i just do normal mountain biking just off road nothing big.............. im going into down hill mountain biking and racing

Keep in mind I know very little about down hill racing. But I recommend proper downhill protective gear. From what I have seen of it that includes a full face helmet. I have also seen that it includes body armour as well.

Do you have an LBS you can ask questions at? Is there a local downhill riacing group or club you can ask advice at? I am not saying you should not ask here. Please do, anyone here will be more then happy to answer your questions. But also ask in your local area if possible.

Crashes are quite common in DH and a full face helmet is necessary if you want to have the same face five years from now. Because endos are the most common crash(in my experience) in DH you really need to protect your face. Just check out some DH crashes on Youtube if you need some inspiration.